Author Topic: Atlas Shrugged (Read 1258 times)

mosgood · « **on:** July 06, 2007, 09:13:32 AM »

Just saw they are making a movie of it. I think i would be to scared to see it and be disappointed. Best fiction ever read.

Chairboy · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2007, 09:38:27 AM »

Could be great, but I'm not sure how well the message of the book would go over. Rand was an objectivist who wrote in AS that society was being pulled down by "looters", her prescient description for the entitlement-happy society we have today that punished accomplishment, rewards mediocrity, and works under the assumption that the lowest common denominator should set the standards.

That's why one in five Americans believe that the Sun revolves around the Earth, people believe that creationism should be taught alongside evolution in schools, and the government is systematically deconstructing our constitution with the approval of millions who seem to agree that liberty is the cheapest currency to spend on the illusion of safety.

lazs2 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 06, 2007, 09:54:12 AM »

all that aside chair... I agree with mosgood that they will screw it up. it is not a movie thing.. it is a head thing.

also.. I have no problem with the idea of creativism being thrown out there.. what are you afraid of?

My grand daughter will be going to catholic school this year on my dime... I know that creativism will be taught. I also know that she will get the best education in the area.

If you want to complain about what goes on in public schools your time would better spent wondering why we pay so much for part time teachers to teach so little and why schools that mention the evil creativism kick the crap out of the socialist ones so far as results.

I think Ayn would have more to say about public schools than that.... mentioning creativism is pretty small potatoes compared to everything else they do to our kids.

lazs

midnight Target · « **Reply #3 on:** July 06, 2007, 11:52:46 AM »

I went to catholic school .. well a Looong time ago lazs , and they did not teach creationism there.

Toad · « **Reply #4 on:** July 06, 2007, 11:58:48 AM »

They didn't teach that God created the universe and mankind?

Wow. The Catholic schools I attended through high school all taught that.

Yours would be atypical, I would think.

Sabre · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2007, 12:05:21 PM »

Never read "Atlas Shrugged", so I don't have a frame of reference. Generally I agree with Lazs. The idea that allowing either creationism or the theory of intelligent design to be considered alongside darwinism will somehow result in inferior education is simply not supported by the evidence. While I don't believe Creationism (i.e. the teaching of the biblical account of Genesis as scientific fact) should be taught in public school science class, I don't have any problem with teaching that some scientists (and about 70% of the population) look at the natural world and infer design from the evidence. I am also for teaching more about darwinian evolution then is currently taught, specifically evidence that supports it and evidence that does not. Surely teaching our kids to think critically about complex and controvertial issues in science can't be a bad thing for them.

Chairboy · « **Reply #6 on:** July 06, 2007, 12:33:59 PM »

This is the lowest common denominator, where undue weight is given to something because people FEEL strongly about it. Feelings and belief have no place in a science class where people are being taught to be critical. There is no critical thought allowed in Creationism, because all questions go back to "Because it is God's will". That won't teach students to be critical, it's a thinly veiled attempt to injection theology into a science course.

If a scientist asked to have a segment in Sunday school classes where he would offer criticism of The Flood, discuss how Carbon Dating puts the 6,000 year Earth to task, and wishes to show how the fossil record shows how animals changed over millions of years, would you be kosher with that?

I hope my kids will learn about the Christian creation story in school, right alongside the Tree of Life, norse tradition, the story of Buddha, etc. The Christian creation story belongs in a different context, not in a science class.

midnight Target · « **Reply #7 on:** July 06, 2007, 01:11:25 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Toad
They didn't teach that God created the universe and mankind?

Wow. The Catholic schools I attended through high school all taught that.

Yours would be atypical, I would think.

They basically taught the Genesis story as an alegorical tale of God's work. They had no problem teaching natural selection.

JB88 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 06, 2007, 02:20:11 PM »

<---- preferred fountainhead.

mosgood · « **Reply #9 on:** July 06, 2007, 03:14:38 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by JB88
<---- preferred fountainhead.

that got a little weird with the sex humiliation

JB88 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 06, 2007, 03:49:59 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by mosgood
that got a little weird with the sex humiliation

lol...ya...that part was a bit weird, but then, that may have just been because i couldnt help but think of rand when i read the book. (shudders)

lasersailor184 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 06, 2007, 04:50:22 PM »

I too was nervous when I heard that they were making a movie. However, this was partly lessened when I heard that they were splitting the movie into 2, possibly (though unlikely) 3 movies. I'm glad that they are doing this, because some of today's novel-movie conversions are so simple that they ruin the stories.

However, there is one key thing that WILL ruin this movie:

SPOILERS!!

They need to hire an unknown actor to play John Galt. By unknown, I mean he literally needs to have no previous big movies. The whole crux of the story is that John Galt is a pseudo famous person that is through out the entire story. However, we as the reader don't realize that he's through out the entire book until near the end. If they get a big name actor, you'd be able to pick his face out of a crowd, thus ruining the effect.

JB88 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 06, 2007, 05:06:57 PM »

well that and you want people to literally be saying..."who is john galt?"

mosgood · « **Reply #13 on:** July 06, 2007, 05:36:01 PM »

Com'on You know Tom Cruise would be great as John Galt!

And Ben Afleck as Santiago..

What a GREAT cast this would be!!!

lazs2 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2007, 09:22:59 AM »

mav.. that is all I am saying.. they taught the bible version and they taught natural selection and other theories. To pretend that people do not believe in creativism and that it is not possible is some kind of silly.

Just throw it out there... say that some people believe such and such and the science can't prove em wrong yet. No big deal. Science can't prove intelligent design is wrong and billions of people believe it.. it should not be ignored in any institution that claims to teach.

lazs